Just days before three curvy models walked down a London catwalk wearing Mark Fast's designs for next spring and summer, two members of his team walked out.

Just days before three curvy models walked down a London catwalk wearing Mark Fast's designs for next spring and summer, two members of his team walked out.

The Canadian designer insisted on putting UK size 12 to 14 models in his Saturday show in London Fashion Week.

Yesterday, British media buzzed with reports that his freelance stylist and casting director left his team over the move.

"There were creative differences and we let one person go and the other resigned," Fast said by email from London yesterday. "Then we just got on with the show."

Fast, 28, grew up in Winnipeg and moved to London in 2002, where he's made a name for himself with contoured designs and use of stretchy yarns.

The designer said he realized how well his knits work on all body shapes last season during sales, when his line was made in different sizes.

"My knits respond differently to different bodies," he said.

"Some looks just work better on curves in the same way that certain tailoring works better on different body types."

Fast said he jumped at the chance to be involved in All Walks Beyond the Catwalk, a photography exhibit launched Friday as a challenge to the fashion world's narrow definition of beauty. The images feature models ages 18 to 65, sizes 8 to 16.

Sarah Brown, wife of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, gave the opening address at the launch party.

The designer said he "wanted to work with a gorgeous curvy model who evoked the energy and presence of the early supermodels," which led him to Hayley Morley, the voluptuous young model who opened his show.

Fast said the rest of his 20 models were "what's considered more traditional catwalk models."

12+ UK Model Management founder and director Sarah Watkinson wrote on her website that she was very happy to be involved in the All Walks Beyond the Catwalk project, and that it has always been a struggle to book her curvy models on high-end fashion jobs.

On Saturday, Fast's managing director Amanda May wrote on Twitter that she was "so happy we stuck to our guns" about the casting.

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